Locally shot 'The Playboy Club' series picked up by NBC

NBC's one-hour drama 'The Playboy Club' is set in 1963

When one door shuts, another opens. Two days after Fox canceled the locally shot police drama "The Chicago Code" comes word that Chicago has landed a new series for next season.

NBC's one-hour drama "The Playboy Club" is set in 1963 and will depict the world of working class Playboy bunnies and the men in their lives. It stars Eddie Cibrian (who recently wed Leann Rimes), as well as Amber Heard ("Zombieland") and Tony Award winner Laura Benanti ("Gypsy").

The pilot, which shot here in March at the old Meigs Terminal on Northerly Island, was directed by Alan Taylor, who also directed the pilot for AMC's "Mad Men." Actress Naturi Naughton, who portrayed a bunny last season on "Mad Men," has been cast in "The Playboy Club" as well, as a woman who seeks to become the first African American Playboy centerfold.

The series pickup is welcome news for the city after the loss of "The Chicago Code." According to Betsy Steinberg, managing director of the Illinois Film Office, "I've been told they'll shoot in Chicago." TV series have the potential to provide more job stability in an industry where little typically exists.